The Isle of Man is situated in the Irish Sea,
equidistant from Scotland, Ireland, and England. Among its earliest
inhabitants were Celts, and their language, Manx, which is closely related
to Irish and Scottish Gaelic, remained the everyday speech of the people
until the first half of the 19th century. Manx now has no native speakers.
Norse (Viking) invasions began about 800, and the island was a dependency
of Norway until 1266. During this period the Isle of Man came under a
Scandinavian system of government that has remained practically unchanged
ever since. The island entered the control of England in 1341. After
allowing a succession of feudal lords to rule the island, the British
parliament purchased sovereignty over the island in 1765. The Isle of Man
continues to be administered according to its own laws by a government
composed of the lieutenant governor, a legislative council, and a House of
Keys, one of the most ancient legislative assemblies in the world.